ERFA
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ERFA's History

ERFA, the “European Rail Freight Association”, was founded in July 2002 by a handful of rail freight companies from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and the UK. Today, the association represents 17 countries in wider Europe.
The mission of ERFA is to promote European rail freight transport and its stakeholders active in that area through the complete liberalisation of that market.
Since 2002, members and membership categories have evolved in line with the market needs for those who want genuine competition.
ERFA members cover almost all aspects of the rail freight business:

  • Rail freight operators,
  • Combined transport operators,
  • Leasing companies,
  • Terminal and port operators,
  • Service providers.

Today, ERFA is one of the most highly respected organisations in Brussels to press for liberalisation; it works both at the general European level but also to support its members in their own member states where there is a problem with the implementation (or lack of it) of the liberalisation agenda. ERFA recognises that the details of if and how a member state encourages liberalisation and competition is just as important as the main EU policies.

Its scope of activities encompasses legal, technical, financial, administrative and social issues.